Vessel for containing liquids.



No. 70|,|o2. Patented May 27, I902. L. J. TARDY. VESSEL FOB CONTAININGLIQUIDS.

2 Sheets- Sheet 1.

(Application filed Sept. 20, 1901.)

(No Model.)

j m 0 H w 0 m Hg E V No. 7Ul,I02, Patented May 27, I902.

L. J. TARDY.

VESSEL FOR CONTAINING LIQUIDS.

(Application filed Sept. 20, 1501...) (No Model.) 2 Shaw-Sheet 2.

W 7ZSSSI 17111672157."

UNirien STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEON JOSEPH TARDY, OF VERSAILLES, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JEANPIERRE ARSENE ELIE HENRI OHAUMONT, OF VERSAILLES,

FRANCE.

VESSEL FOR CONTAINING LIQUIDS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 701,102, dated May 27',1902. Application filed September 20, 1901- Serial No. 75,746. (NomodeL) To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that -I, LEON JOSEPH TARDY, engineer, a citizen oftheRepublic of France, residing at 3 Rue Royale, Versailles, in theRepublic of France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inor Relating to Vessels for Containing Liquids, of which the following isa specification.

Devices placed within bottles or other receptacles are the only reliablemeans for indicating to interested partiessuch as manufacturers,consumers, dad-additions to or substitutions of liquids containedtherein, because they are situated in a position which renders anyaddition or substitution obvious. The devices hitherto constructed forthis purpose are very imperfect. In fact, the action of all of them islimited toaifording evidence of fraud when, the receptacle being uprightand the level of the liquid becoming lower normally, an addition to theliquid has been made. WVith such devices it is possible by holding afull bottle neck downward to unstopper it, empty it, producea vacuum init, refill it with any desired liquid, and again place it in an uprightposition without the device indicating the substitution which has takenplace, and also without the knowledge of the consumer to add a liquid tothe contents of a bottle in the draining position, provided the level ofthe liquid isagain brought to the height of the float, without the saidfloat indicating that a mixture has taken place.

In order to be efficient, the device should supply, in addition to thedirect control from above downward, an inverse control from belowupward, which will indicate substitution of liquid, and a supplementarycontrol which will indicate additions of liquid when the bottle is inthe position for draining. Myimproved device hereinafter describedenables this twofold result to be attained.

Figure 1 is an elevation of one of the floats. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectionon the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a plan of the secondary float. Fig.4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an elevation showingthe two floats assembled. Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the tubecontaining the floats connected to a receptacle. Fig. 7 shows the tubedetached. Fig. 8 is-a sectional view with the tube within thereceptacle. Fig. 9 is a similar view of a modified form. Fig. 10 isaver- 1 tical section showing a different arrangement. Fig. 11 is a viewin elevation, showing another modification; Fig. 12 is a verticalsection showing the application of the invention to a bottle. Fig. 13shows the bottle turned down to a horizontal position. Fig. 14 is adetail of another embodiment of the invention. Fig. 15 is an enlargedsectional detail of the neck of the bottle.

The essential feature of my invention consists in providing two floats,Figs. 1 to 4, which are displaced within a tube having a' channeled orfluted inner wall. These two floatsact as though there were but one solong as the vessel has not been tampered with. As soon, I10W6V61',"3.Sany portion of the contents of the vessel have been removed one of 76the floats becomes fixed, while the other continues to be displaceduntil the fraud ceases. The second float then comes to rest, and thedistance which separates the two floats indicates amount of liquidfraudulently extracted. 75

By means of my improved device control is exercised from the moment ofmanufacture to thetime of consumption, as will appear from the'followingdescription. I

One of the floats a of suitable formsuch, for example,'as thatrepresented in Figs. 1 and 2--presents two diametrically oppositegrooves and a point. It terminates in a counterweight b, to the rod ofwhich are attached two small arms or projections passing along thegrooves. Upon this float rests the second float c, constituted by a cap,in the center of which is formed an orifice in which are engaged thearms of the float aand the upper or lower portion of this latter.In'addition 90 to this the float c is provided with arms or projectionsd, arranged in'an inverseidirec- I tion to those of the float a. The twofloats are placed as a whole within a transparent tube having a flutedinner wall.-' I

My improved device operates in the following manner: Assuming that thedevice is to be applied to receptacles containing alcohol, as the liquidis introduced so the level natnw rally moves upward. The floats being an10o ing .the extent of the fraud.

ranged in the tube a, communicating by means of its upper and lowerextremities with the receptacle f, also rise so long as the level of theliquid rises. The arms (1 yield when they encounter a groove in the tube6, and the arms of the float a do not touch these grooves, being drawninward or retained by the float 0; but if liquid is withdrawn from thevessel the float a' will descend, and the float 0 will tend to followthis movement. In this case, however, its arms will strike against thegrooves in the tube 6, which are exactly beneath them, and the float 0will be stopped. The float a will continue to descend, its arms havingno resistance from the grooves to overcome. As soon as the flow ofliquid ceases and the level again rises in the vessel the float awill bestopped, owing to its arms having struck against the first groove whichis situated above them. Fig. 7 shows the position of the two floats. Thedistance which separates the two floats permits of deter1nin- With thisobject the tube is preferably graduated. If the level of the liquid inthe vessel is intended to vary from above downward, the float c isarranged beneath the float a and its arms are directed upward, while thearms of the float a are directed downward. It liquid is introduced intothe vessel, the float 0 comes to rest. The float a rises and stops whenliquid is again withdrawn. As in the preceding case, the distancebetween the two floats determines the extent of the fraud.

If the liquid is in a receptacle serving for transport, and whichconsequently may be placed in any position and whose contents may beattacked at all points of its surface, I employ the device representedin Figs. 8 to 11. A rod g, the length of which is equal to the radius ofthe vessel, is attached to the bung-hole. It is provided with auniversal joint h,to which is attached a ring 1, surroundiuga tube j, inwhich the two floats a and c are displaced. A mass of glass maintainsthe tube j constantly vertical. This latter is supported by beads ofglass Z, which rest upon the ring 1' or in any other appropriate manner.By the side of the tubej is arranged a striated and graduated rod 'm,around which is arranged a float a, providedwith clappers a and a slide0. This latter is intended to tighten the lower arms of the clappersagainst the rod, and thus to stop the float n at the moment ofverification. If the two floats a and c are separated, it will beapparent that some portion of the contents has been extracted. If, onthe other hand, the floats are bothat the bottom of the tube j, no fraudhas taken place, because they have descended to this point during theextraction of the appli- 1 ance from the vessel; but this devicecontrols only the liquid contained within the sphere, the diameter ofwhich is equal to the length ofthe tube y. In order to control alsothose portions of the liquid situated outside this sphere, it isnecessary to employ two such devices, one in each half of the barrel.Perfect control is then exercised, no matter in what position thereceptacle is placed. A similar device may be applied to bottles used bythe consumer. They comprise two tubes 7" andj. The floats of the firstnamed are operative when the bottle is upright, Fig. 12, and those ofthe second when it is inclined, horizontal, Fig. 13, or inverted. Thetube 0 is maintained in position within the bottle in any suitablemanner. Both tubes communicate with the interior of the bottle at theirupper and lower extremities. While filling is taking place the floatsare maintained at the upper portion of the tubes by means of a wire.

. In order to obviate any possibility of touching the floats whileemptying is taking place, washers s t, having holes arranged so as toform bafflesthat is to say, in such a manner that they do notregisterare placed in the neck of the-bottle. This neck may also beprovided with a cross-piece t6, furnished with a vertical rod 1;,terminating at its lower por tion in two springs :10, Fig. 15. Aroundthe rod 4) is arranged a ring While the liquid flows from the bottle thering y is applied against the cross-piece u; but if liquid is forcedinto the bottle the ringis carried within this latter, thus indicatingthat an addition or substitution of liquid has taken place. This deviceconstitutes the supplementary control above referred to, and it may beadapt ed not only to bottles, but also at any appropriate point ofreceptacles of all kinds.

As shown in Fig. 14, I may also employ tubes channeled internally andcontaining a float for direct control, the float for the inverse controlsurrounding the tubes, which latter is provided with arms.

In order to render any displacement of the float for direct controlimpossible when the bottle is placed with the neck downward or thevessel inverted, I may arrange within the tubes a small glass ball awhich wedges or looks the float by rolling as far as possible while themovement of rotation of the bottle is being effected, and thus preventsit from rising under the influence of the thrust exerted upon it by theliquid. 1

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is-

1. A controlling device indicating additions to or substitutions ofliquid in the containing vessel, said device being essentiallyconstituted by floats provided with arms displaced withininternally-grooved transparent tubes. 2. In a controlling device, thecombination of two floats provided with arms one of these floatspartially entering within the other in such a manner that its arms arecaused to approach the center of the tube, one of the floats serving fordirect control and the other for indirect or inverse control, the levelof the liquid being thus checked whether it moves from below upward orfrom above downward.

3. In a controlling device arranged within a bottle, the combination oftwo internallygrooved tubes, one of which is rigidly fixed, extendsthroughout the entire length of the bottle and is provided with a ringadapted to' a float for direct control and provided with means forinverse control.

6. In a controlling appliance, the combination with the float for directcontrol of a means arranged within the glass tube and serving to wedgeor look the float when the bottle is inverted for preventing this floatfrom rising under the influence of the thrust exercised upon it by theliquid.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in presence of twosubscribing witnesses, this 31st day of August, 1901.

LEON JOSEPH TARDY.

Witnesses:

PAUL CoULoMB, EDWARD P. MAOLEAN.

